Oaklawn Park: Aireofdistinction seeks fourth straight win in Spring Fever Stakes
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Aireofdistinction will meet established stakes winners Beat the Blues, Sittin At the Bar, and Boss Barney’s Babe on Saturday, when she seeks to extend her winning streak to four in the $100,000 Spring Fever Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
Aireofdistinction will be making her stakes debut in the 5 1/2-furlong race for fillies and mares. She enters in peak form, having won her last three starts by a combined margin of almost seven lengths.
Steve Asmussen, who trains Aireofdistinction, said the move back to the main track after a pair of turf starts last summer has played a role in her sharp form.
Aireofdistinction began her current streak in November at Churchill Downs, where she romped in a maiden special weight race. One start later, she fought for a nose win in a first-level allowance at Fair Grounds. Aireofdistinction proceeded to win a second-level allowance by 1 1/4 lengths at Oaklawn in her most recent start Jan. 18.
“I thought she regressed a little bit in the New Orleans race off of a very big maiden win and was back to herself here the other day,” Asmussen said. “Just visually, that’s kind of what I thought. Her numbers are nice.”
Aireofdistinction owns a competitive collection of recent Beyer Speed Figures, and for her win last out, she equaled her career-best number, an 81. She will break from post 4 under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.
“She’s a very nice filly,” said Asmussen, who trains Aireofdistinction for Gillian S. Campbell.
Beat the Blues won the Grade 3 Winning Colors at Churchill Downs last May. She made her first start since then in last month’s $100,000 American Beauty at Oaklawn and finished eighth, a race in which she false broke, noted her trainer, Bret Calhoun.
“She’s training very well, and I think she’ll bounce back good Saturday,” he said.
Calhoun also will send out Boss Barney’s Babe, winner of the $75,000 Orleans at Delta Downs in November. She was second in the American Beauty, beaten 3 1/4 lengths by Apropos, who is scheduled to run next in the Grade 1 Madison at Keeneland. As for Boss Barney’s Babe, she will break from the rail under Cliff Berry.
“She ran a good race last time,” Calhoun said. “I think she has a chance to run better this time. She’s a little difficult to ride, and Cliff did a very good job with her last time. Knowing her better this time is a plus.”
Sittin At the Bar won the $100,000 Louisiana Premier Night Matron at Delta in her last start Feb. 1.